The Monday Struggle

Picking up at work where I left off on Friday was always tough for me. I know Monday is just another day, but getting back into the rhythm of the work week felt harder than it seemed to for everyone else.

When I voiced my struggle to colleagues, friends or family, the feedback was often:

“It depends on how you choose to look at it.”

“It’s all in your head.”

“Change your attitude about Mondays.”

Of course, these perspectives left me questioning my coping mechanisms and wondering whether there was something wrong with me. Why did others seem to return to their 9–5 Monday-to-Friday work week with such ease?

What was I missing?

My Journey of Self-Discovery

Over the years, I found myself searching for answers, trying to understand why work felt harder for me than it seemed to for others and what conditions allowed me to do my best work.

I began questioning what made it so difficult for me to settle back into the work week. Was it the work itself, the environments I found myself in, or the way I was trying to work? Perhaps it was a combination of all three.

In my search to get to know myself better I took almost every personality assessment tool known to man! (At least I think so…) 😉

Searching for Answers Through Personality Assessments

I compared the results from one report to another, starting with Gallup StrengthsFinder, MBTI, Enneagram, DISC, Neethling Brain Instrument, 16 Personalities, the Big Five, StandOut, and many more self-development programmes.

While these tools provided valuable insights, I was still unclear about why I struggled energetically to keep up with the pace of work.

I eventually realised that comparing myself to others was a recipe for disaster.

Continuing to compare myself with people who seemed content in conventional working environments wasn’t bringing me any closer to understanding myself.

Many people appear to be at peace with the tasks they fill their days with and have little desire to pivot their careers, shift their attitudes, or make lifestyle adjustments to create more balance.

And that’s perfectly okay.

But for me, it was a different story.

The Power of Human Design

I continued searching for a deeper understanding of myself and eventually stumbled across a system called Human Design.

When I had my Human Design reading, a number of things suddenly clicked into place.

As a Projector, I learned that I wasn’t designed to work in the same way as everyone else. This insight, along with many other “aha” moments, helped me make sense of experiences I had been having for years.

For those unfamiliar with Human Design, it offers a framework for understanding how we are naturally wired. Unlike personality assessments that rely on questionnaires, Human Design uses your birth data to generate a unique chart and explore your natural strengths, tendencies and decision-making style.

One of the concepts that resonated deeply with me is the idea that there is a way of working that is uniquely your own.

Human Design continues to hold my attention because it encourages self-acceptance rather than comparison. My curiosity led me to complete a Human Design Diploma and certify as a Mind-Body Human Design Reader, and I have continued studying the system over the past few years.

Understanding the Projector Energy Type

Within Human Design there are five energy types. I learned that I am a Splenic Projector.

Projectors are often described as guides. They have a natural ability to see patterns, recognise potential in others and offer insight that helps people move forward with greater clarity and authenticity.

One aspect of the Projector description that resonated strongly with me was the idea that they are not here to fit neatly into conventional expectations. Their path often involves learning through experience, observation and self-understanding.

For years I felt as though I was trying to fit myself into ways of working that never felt quite right. Learning more about my design helped me understand that my experience wasn’t unusual and that there were reasons why certain environments felt more supportive than others.

A Different Realisation

Looking back, I can see that my struggle was never really about Mondays or even the 9–5 work model itself.

It was about understanding how I worked best, what environments brought out my strengths, and what conditions allowed me to do meaningful work without constantly pushing against myself.

Human Design gave me a language for many experiences I had been having for years. More importantly, it helped me stop comparing myself to people whose strengths, motivations and ways of working were different from my own.

What I discovered was that there was nothing wrong with me.

I simply needed to understand myself better and create a way of working that aligned with my natural strengths, values and energy.

Through this journey of self-discovery, I found greater self-acceptance, clarity and permission to work differently.

I wasn’t searching for a different career.

I was searching for work that allowed me to use my natural gifts in environments that aligned with my values and energy.

What If Nothing Is Wrong With You?

What if you’ve simply been trying to work in ways that don’t align with your natural strengths, values and energy?

That question changed the direction of my life.

If this resonates, Work Your Way: Be Yourself. Work the Way You Work Best. is a reflective guide to understanding your own way of working and the conditions that support you.

You can also explore Workstyle Alignment if you’d like to work through these questions with me one-on-one.

🔗 Work Your Way Book

OR Learn more about Workstyle Alignment.